Flexible shower line unit



Aprrifi 2, 1968 D. GELLMANN FLEXIBLE SHOWER LINE UNIT Filed Oct. '7, 1965 Daniel Gel/mam INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,375,532 FLEXIBLE SHOWER LINE UNIT Daniel Gellmann, 56 W. 45th St., New York, N.Y. 10036 Filed Oct. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 493,628 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-145) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible conduit, portable in nature and provided with supporitng means for detachable supporting engagement with a wall surface. One end of the flexible conduit is detachably connected to a housing having one end connected to a shower pipe and the other end provided with a universal shower nozzle. A manual valve is provided in the housing for selectively closing water flow passage to the shower nozzle. The lower end of the flexible conduit is provided with a housing on which the lower support is attached at one end and a shower nozzle universally con nected to the other end. A manual valve is provided in the housing for selectively closing off water flow to the lower shower nozzle. The entire unit is detachable and flexible and capable of being easily transported or carried and easily installed and removed.

The present invention relates generally to a flexible shower line unit and represents certain improvements in the structure disclosed in my prior Patent No. 3,121,235 issued Feb. 18, 1964 for Universal Shower Line Unit.

An object of the present inventon is to provide a flexible shower line unit that is easily and quickly attached to or detached from an existing shower pipe and includes a novel valve arrangement for controlling the discharge nozzles associated therewith together with a novel supporting structure for the shower line unit which enables the shower line unit to be easily rendered portable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible shower line unit provided with a universally adjustable nozzle at the lower end thereof that is secured to a connecting body having a valve structure incorporated therein wit-h the body being supported from an adjacent wall surface thereby providing a positive support for the nozzle and valve construction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a flexible shower line unit having an elongated flexible tubular member as the basic component thereof together with a valved connector assembly at the upper end thereof for engagement with a shower line and supportingly engaging a shower head unit or discharge nozzle for universal adjustment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible shower line unit having a flexible tubular member supported adjacent its upper end by a suction cup element in adjusted position thereon by rotation of the suction cup element.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible shower line unit having a lower end portion provided with a rigid component having a suction cup attached thereto for supporting the rigid component from a wall surface and with the rigid component also including a valve housing and operating handle and a support for a lower discharge nozzle that is supported therefrom for universal movement.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a flexible shower line unit that is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install without modification of existing plumbing, simple in construction, foolproof, neat in appearance and effective for providing a shower spray on the desired areas of the body.

These together with other objects and advantages which 3,375,532 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the flexible shower line unit of the present invention illustrating the manner in which the components thereof are installed on a wall surface in overlying adjacency to a bathtub and connected to an existing shower pipe;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed sectional view, with portions in elevation, illustrating the valved connector assembly for connecting the upper end of the flexible tubular member to the shower pipe;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the upper support for the shower line so that the support may be clamped in adjusted position by rotating the suction- FIGURE 4 is a detailed elevational view with portions in section illustrating the lower nozzle, valve assembly and supporting suction cup therefor;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded fragmental perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention in which the lower end of the flexible tubular member is provided with a rigid component that is supported from a wall surface and the valve body is attached to the rigid component;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed sectional view illustrating another manner of attaching the flexible tubular member to a connector housing;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmental sectional view illustrating another way of connecting the flexible tubular member to the lower valve housing.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the flexible shower line unit of the present invention which is operatively connected to an existing shower pipe valve or a specially installed line where that is necessary. The shower line 12 extends through a wall 14 and is provided with a suitable adapter 16. At the lower end of the wall 14, there is provided a bathtub 18 having the usual faucet 20 and controls 22 and 24. The faucet 20 is provided with a control 26 by which water may be directed either through the faucet 20 or through the shower pipe 12. While the present invention is disclosed as being used in combination with a bathtub, it may also be employed in conjunction with a shower stall assembly in which the shower pipe 12 is employed or a similar type of pipe is employed for discharging Water at an elevated position.

The shower line unit 10 includes an elongated flexible tubular member 28 of any conventional construction. The tubular member 28 may be provided with a metallic armor and a plastic, rubber or the like lining or it may be in the form of a non-metallic hose or the like although it is contemplated that the preferred embodiment will employ a flexible metallic tubular member of aluminum or other lightweight material. The upper end of the flexible tubular member is connected to the shower pipe 12 by a valved connector assembly 30. The upper end portion of the flexible tubular member 28 is supported from the wall surface 14 by an upper support assembly 32. The lower end of the tubular member 28 is connected to a lower valved connector assembly 34 and the lower end of the flexible member 28 is supported from the wall 14 by a lower support assembly 36.

Considering first the support assembly 32, this construction is illustrated specifically in FIGURE 3 and includes a tubular sleeve 38 encircling the flexible tubular member 28. A headed screw 40 is threaded radially through the sleeve 38 and has the inner end thereof engaging with the flexible tubular member 28 to lock the sleeve 38 in longitudinally adjusted position on the flexible tubular member 28. Attached to the screw 40 is a suction cup 42 of flexible resilient material such as rubber or the like for sealing and supporting engagement with the wall surface 14. The suction cup 42 is provided with a centrally disposed projecting body portion 44 on the convex surface thereof and a corresponding recess 46 on the concave surface thereof which receives the head of the fastening screw 40 which extends through a bore or passage in the center of the suction cup 42. The suction cup 42 frictionally or otherwise is lockingly engaged with the screw 40 so that when the suction cup 42 is rotated in either direction, the clamp screw 40 will either be tightened or loosened depending upon the direction of rotation thereby facilitating the adjustment of the support assembly 32 in relation to the flexible tubular member 28.

The upper valve connector 30 is illustrated specifically in FIGURE 2 and includes a hollow housing 50 having a threaded connection 52 with the shower pipe 12 which may be of either rigid construction or of flexible construction. The connection of the hollow member 50 to the shower pipe 12 may be varied and as illustrated, this connection is provided with a sealing gasket or washer 54 which rests against a flange 56 and which engages the end of the shower pipe 12 in encircling relation to the threaded connection 52 thus forming a seal therefor. The body 50 is provided with a central chamber 58 that is hollow and communicates with a laterally extending tubular member 60 through a passageway 62. Also, a passageway 64 is provided in alignment with the shower pipe 12 with the passageway 64 being selectively closed by a conventional plug valve 66 having an L-shaped handle 68 provided thereon for rotating the valve body to selectively open and close the passageway 64. The passageway 64 communicates with a shower head nozzle 70 having a spherical ball 72 on the end thereof which is universally received in an adapter 74 forming the lower end of the body 50 and communicating with the passageway 64. The ball 72 and the shower head nozzle 70 are provided with passageways leading to the discharge orifices 76 in the shower head nozzle 70.

The end of the flexible tubular member 28 is provided with a tapered tubular insert 78 having spiral ridges or the like thereon which is frictionally retained and sealed into the upper end of the flexible tubular member 28. The end of the insert 78 is provided with a ferrule 80 having a flange at the end thereof rotatably receiving a knurled internally threaded tubular connector 82. A suitable gasket 84 is provided between the end of the lateral extension 60 on the valve body 50 and the flanged end of the ferrule 80 thus sealingly but detachably connecting the upper end of the flexible tubular member 28 to the valve body 50.

The lower valved connector 34 is illustrated in FIG- URE 4 and includes a hollow housing 86 having a rigid lateral extension 88 connected thereto and insertable into the lower end of a flexible tubular member 28. The projection 88 is provided with spiral ribs and grooves for sealing and retention within the tubular member 28 and serving as a connector between the hollow housing or body 86 and the flexible tubular member 28. A valve structure 90 is provided in the housing 86 for selectively communicating the flexible tubular member 28 with the lower shower head nozzle 92 which has a spherical ball 94 on one end thereof and discharge nozzles 96 on the other end thereof with this shower head being the same type as the shower head unit 70. Thus, by operating the valve 90 in the usual manner, the fluid path from the flexible tubular member 28 to the shower head 92 may be opened and closed. For supporting the body or housing 86, a suction cup 98 is provided for support from the wall surface 14 with the suction cup being substantially the same as the suction cup 42 and secured to the housing or body 86 by a screw threaded fastener 100. Thus, with this construction, the lower end of the flexible tubular member 28 may be supported from the wall surface 14 in a detachable manner and in an adjustable 4 i manner depending upon the desires of the person employing the device.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which the lower end of the tubular member 28 is provided with a sleeve 102 having spiralled external elements thereon for sealing engagement with the flexible tubular member 28 and a ferrule 104 is provided on the end of the tubular member 102. This construction is substantially the same as that illustrated in FIGURE 2 for joining the upper end of the flexible tubular member 28 to the valve body 50. Threadedinto the ferrule 104 is a rigid tube 106 having a closed lower end and a laterally opening threaded aperture 108 for detachably receiving and supporting a tubular threaded stud 110 on a lower valve body 112 provided with a valved handle 114 and a spray head nozzle 116. For supporting the rigid pipe or component 106, a sleeve 118 is provided and a suction cup 120 is connected to the sleeve 118 in substantially the same manner as the suction cup 42 is connected to the sleeve 38 inthe structure illustrated in FIGURE 3 and is secured in adjusted position on the rigid pipe 106 in a similar manner.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modified structure for connecting the upper end of the flexible tubular member 28 to the valve body 50-which includes an integral tubular member 122 having spiral ribs or grooves thereon similar to the tubular member 78 with the upper end of the flexible tubular member 28merely being frictionally and sealingly engaged with the tubular member 122 thus forming a permanent connection between the flexible tubular member 28 and the modified valve body housing 50.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a modified connection between the lower end of a modified flexible tubular element 28' having a flange 124 and a rounded lower end 126 for seating engagement with a laterally extending externally threaded tubular member 128 on a tubular valve body housing 86'. A knurled internally threaded retaining nut 130 is provided on the flange 124 and engaged with the projection 128 for detachable connection of the flexible tubular member 28" to the valve body 86'.

Various modifications and arrangements maybe provided as to the particular connections of the components of the present invention so that the components may be easily assembled and constructed in such a manner that the cost thereof will be reasonable. By operating the control valve, water may be discharged from either the upper nozzle 70 or the lower nozzle 92 simultaneously or selectively. Various materials may be employed in constructing the device compatible with the requirements of the plumbing industry, building codes and the like.

Various alternatives may also be incorporated into the structure without departing from the present invention. For example, a swivel type fitting similar to the swivel type fitting employed at the upper end of the flexible line may also be employed at the bottom endthereof where the flexible line 28 connects with the housing 86. Further, the swivel fitting may be provided at each end of the flexible line or at either end thereof or the flexible line 28 may be rigid and of one piece construction with the valve housings. When using a lower swivel, it could be attached to a shower seat such as that illustrated in my prior Patent No. 3,040,335 issued June 26, 1962.

Depending upon the length of the flexible line and the stability requirements for each individual installation,

additional suction cups comparable to the suction cup 32 may be provided on the flexible line 28 for anchoring the same in place. Further, additional shower head units or nozzles having a volume control may be provided on the flexible line if desired. The flexible line could be.

employing such a nozzle in the invention. The shower nozzles or at least the volume control therefor is preferably constructed of dilferent plastics, one for the volume control and one for the housing to facilitate the operation of and to enable the volume control to operate efficiently for relatively long periods of time. Two different types of shower head nozzles may be used. For example, a one-piece with volume control or a two-piece unit with volume control both with or without the swivel ball joint. There is also provided an attachment in the form of a douche bone which can be threaded onto the threaded area where the swivel ball joint shower head is connected to the volume control or threaded into the two-piece nonswivel unit head. Of course, this attachment is only for the lower outlet and the shower head nozzle will have to be removed and replaced by this attachment.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A flexible shower line conduit adapted to be removably supported from a wall surface and connected with a shower pipe extending outwardly of the wall surface comprising an elongated tubular member extending downwardly from a shower pipe, said tubular member being flexible throughout its length, a connector at the upper end of said tubular member, and including a hollow housing means detachably connecting the upper end of said tubular member directly to said hollow housing, means directly connecting said housing to a shower pipe, a 35 shower nozzle mounted on said housing for universal movement relative thereto, a manually operated valve in said housing for selectively opening and closing said shower nozzle, a connector at the lower end of said tubular member and including a hollow housing, a discharge nozzle attached to said housing at the lower end of said tubular member, a manually operated valve in said housing for selectively opening and closing said discharge nozzle, support means on said housing at the lower end of said tubular member in remote relation to the discharge nozzle for releasably supporting the housing and lower end of the tubular member from a wall surface, and sup port means adjacent the upper end of said tubular member and spaced from the upper housing for releasably supporting the upper end portion of the tubular member from a wall surface, said means connecting the tubular member to the upper housing including an externally threaded nipple unitary with said housing, an internally threaded tubular connector rotatably connected to the upper end of the tubular member and screw threadedly engaged with the nipple on said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,391 3/1940 Holden 4-145 459,506 9/1891 Bunting 4-145 552,356 12/1895 Degnan 4145 2,073,307 3/1937 Isenberg 4-145 2,216,149 10/1940 Weiss 4145 2,228,626 1/ 1941 Hetherington 4-148 3,121,235 2/1964 Gellmann 4148 FOREIGN PATENTS 480,942 3/1938 Great Britain. 393,230 4/1924 Germany.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

